Accessory for clutch bag

ABSTRACT

A pouch receives an item to be hung on a support member, the pouch including a substantially enclosed receptacle having an opening dimensioned to selectively receive an item within the receptacle and to allow removal of the item from the receptacle. The receptacle is formed of a flexible material that can be compressed into a reduced volume when an item is not contained within a receptacle and to an expanded volume when an item is received within the receptacle. An attachment member on a receptacle is provided that is suitable for placement on a hook or other support member. The receptacle is preferable formed of a compressible material, such as a stretchable fabric, or a netting material. The pouch can be collapsed, stored when not in use, and can be expanded to receive the item within it for hanging or supporting the item in the pouch on a hook or the like.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/988,280 filed on Nov. 15, 2008, which provisional application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to ladies' handbags and, more specifically, to an accessory for clutch bags that do not include straps or handles, or for other similar portable items that cannot be hung on a hook or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Ladies's handbags typically have straps or handles for holding the bags or slinging them over the shoulder of a user. One such handbag is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,326. Conventional bags with straps or handles can be hung on a hook or the like. This may be desirable or necessary in certain instances, such as when the bag must be set down in a restaurant, a rest room, and the like and it is not desired to place the bag on the floor or ground. However, a category of ladies' bags known a clutch bags are designed and intended to be clutched under the arm. Some clutch bags have handles or straps, such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. D 283,082 and D 411,764. These clutch bags, while intended to be clutched under the arm are also provided with small handles or straps that can be held by the hand or can be used to hang the bag on a hook or the like, although the handles or straps shown are too small or too short to hand over the back of a chair, such as in a restaurant.

Most clutch bags, however, have no handles or straps at all, such as the clutch bag disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,317. Bags of this type are the more traditional clutch bags and for these types of bags a woman has no way of letting the bag out of her hands without resting it on a surface, including a floor or on the ground. Attention is directed, in this connection, to U.S. Pat. No. D 256,198 which discloses a clutch bag display unit. It will be noted that this display includes no hooks or other devices for hanging the bags from handles or straps. Instead the display consists of a plurality of surfaces on which the clutch bags can be set down and displayed.

It has been a real disadvantage and a problem for women who carry clutch bags when they need to set it down for any one of a number of different purposes. Setting the bags on the ground or a floor of a ladies' room is not a viable option because of the possible unsanitary conditions that may exist in some of these environments or because they may create a hazard by becoming an obstacle over which someone may trip and fall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an accessory for clutch bags that can be sold in combination with clutch bags, or independently thereof, that allows a clutch bag without straps or handles to by hung up on a hook or the like.

It is another object of the invention to provide an accessory as in the previous object that is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an accessory of the type under discussion that is compressible to occupy a significantly smaller volume when compressed and not in use than when expanded and in use.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide an accessory as in the previous objects that can be stored within the clutch bag, when not in use, and removed from the clutch bag and have the clutch bag placed within the accessory, that has handles or straps, so that the accessory and the clutch bag may be hung on a hook or the like, or on the back of a chair, etc. when the user needs to set the bag down in a public facility, restaurant or the like.

It is a further object of the invention to provide any suitable material for such accessory as in the previous objects that requires a very small volume when compressed, such as netting material, so that the accessory does not take away any material amount of space from typically small clutch bag interior spaces.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are part of this disclosure and which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of this invention.

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an accessory for a clutch bag in accordance with the invention, shown in a compressed state to occupy a very small volume to fit within a relatively small compartment of a clutch bag without consuming too much of the interior space in the bag, and an associated loop or strap;

FIG. 2. is an elevational view of the accessory of FIG. 1, shown in the expanded state in which the accessory expands into a relatively large bag or sack sufficient to receive the clutch bag within it so that the clutch bag may be supported and suspended from the loop or strap;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the accessory of FIGS. 1 and 2 supporting a clutch bag inside of it on the backrest of a chair; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmented cross-section of a clutch bag wall, showing an interior pocket and compartment for storing the accessory when not in use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now specifically to the Figures, in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout, and first referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an accessory for a clutch bag, other ladies' bags, or other portable items that do not have handles or straps with which the items can be hung on a hook H or the like, is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The accessory 10 is in the form of a stretchable fabric pouch 12. The pouch 12 may be made from any stretchable or compressible material that can be compressed into a small volume when not in use or when not required to be used so that it can be inserted into a clutch bag 16 or other portable device, or even placed in the pocket of the user.

The pouch preferably has drawstrings, handles or a strap that allows it to be hung on any support that would normally support a handbag with handles or shoulder straps. This may be in the form of hooks on a door, posts on a chair or the like.

The pouch 12 is preferably made from see-through thin fabric, such as netting. The pouch may be made in a variety of fabrics and sizes to accommodate other items such as shoes, cosmetics, diapers, etc. and can be used in other instances such as business travel, and mothers with young children. The pouch 12 may be made from a combination of washable polyester/lycra or cotton/lycra fabric, and are not see-through. Each pouch 12 may be self-lined and, therefore reversible.

Referring to FIG. 3, a transverse section of a wall 18 of a clutch bag 16 is shown. A pocket 20 is formed from a pliable sheet of fabric 22 attached to the inside surface of the wall 18 in any conventional way, such as stitching 24, but leaving an opening 26 at the top. Elastic 28 may be used to gather the fabric 22 at the top to at least partially close the opening but allow it to be opened when the pouch 12 is to be inserted or removed from the pocket 20.

Also, a self-storage means may be provided, in the form of a small sac or bag 26 into which the pouch may stuffed into after being compressed. The optional sac 26, with the pouch in it, may be stored in the pocket 20 or even in the pocket of a garment of the user, if the clutch bag does not have a pocket 20. This insures a neat and tidy packagle to be kept in a clutch bag, pocket, gym bag, etc.

Alternatively, the pouch 12 may have a sewn-on self-lined pocket 30 (FIG. 2) made from the same material as the pouch. Since the pouch 12 is flexible and pliable, the pocket or lining 30 may be reversed and placed either inside or outside of the pouch. The pouch can be folded or compressed into the pocket 30, much like a pair of socks when they are rolled together to form a neat bundle for storage in a purse, pocket, etc. as suggested in FIGS. 1 and 3. Also, the drawstring, loop or strap 14 may be equipped with a slide or button that can slide along the strap 14 to keep the bag closed when it is being used to hang the item.

Referring to FIG. 4, in use, the compressed pouch of FIG. 1 is expanded and the object to be supported, such as a clutch bag, is inserted into the pouch 12. Now, the pouch and its contents may be hung up like any other handbag without the need to rest the item on a surface that may not be clean or without the risk of someone inadvertently stepping on it. Thus, in FIG. 3 the accessory 10 is shown as it might be typically used by hanging it on a post 32 of a chair 34 by means of the loop or strap 14.

In accordance with the invention, the pouch 12 should be small enough, when compressed or collapsed, to be placed with a pocket of a garment, inside a clutch bag or within a compartment or section of any item to be supported. However, when expanded the pouch 12 should be large enough to receive the clutch or any other item to be supported. If the minimal compressed volume is Vc (typically when compressed into a sphere or ball) and the expanded volume is Ve it is advantageous that the ratio Ve/Vc is maximized, such as by selecting the properties of the material or fabric from which the pouch is made, including the compressibility and stretchability of the fabric. Mesh materials are especially suitable although other materials may be used. In accordance with the invention the ratio Ve/Vc is preferably greater than 5, while best results are achieved when the ratio is greater than 10. Of course, if a pouch is designed to support a specific item, and is thus a dedicated product for that item, then the ratio Ve/Vc need merely be adequate to allow the pouch to be received within the item, in the compressed state of the pouch, and adequate to allow the item to be received within the expanded state of the pouch.

The descriptions above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Thus, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. 

1. A pouch for receiving and hanging an item on a support member, the pouch comprising a substantially enclosed receptacle having an opening dimensioned to selectively receive an item within said receptacle and to allow removal of the item from said receptacle, said receptacle being formed of a flexible material that can be compressed into a reduced volume when an item is not contained with said receptacle compared to an expanded volume when an item is received with said receptacle; and an attaching means on said receptacle suitable for placement on a hook or other support member, whereby said pouch can be collapsed for storage when not in use and can be expanded to receive an item therein for hanging or supporting the item and said pouch on a hook or the like.
 2. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle is formed of a compressible material.
 3. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle is formed of a stretchable material.
 4. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle is formed of thin see-through fabric.
 5. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle is formed of a polyester/lycra fabric.
 6. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle is formed of a cotton/lycra fabric.
 7. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle interior is lined with a fabric different than said flexible material to render the pouch reversible.
 8. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacle is formed of a netting material.
 9. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said reduced volume is sufficiently small to allow said pouch to be placed in a pocket of a user.
 10. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said expanded volume Ve and said compressed volume Vc form a ration Ve/Vc greater than
 5. 11. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said ratio Ve/Vc≧10.
 12. A pouch as defined in claim 1, further comprising elastic means about a periphery of said receptacle opening to gather said flexible material and reduce the size of said opening while allowing said opening to be stretched for inserting or removing the item from said receptacle.
 13. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said attaching means comprises a strap attached to said receptacle.
 14. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said attaching means comprises a drawstring attached to said receptacle.
 15. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said attaching means comprises a handle attached to said receptacle.
 16. A pouch as defined in claim 1, further comprising a small sac or bag for receiving and maintaining said receptacle in a compressed state when said receptacle is not in use.
 17. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein the item is selected from the group consisting of a clutch bag, a handle-free handbag, shoes, cosmetics, diapers and portable items devoid of means for hanging same on a hook or the like.
 18. A pouch as defined in claim 1, wherein said small volume is formed by generally comprising said receptacle into a spherical shape.
 19. An accessory for an item that cannot be independently hung on a hook or other support member, said accessory comprising a pouch including a substantially enclosed receptacle having an opening dimensioned to selectively receive an item within said receptacle and to remove the item from said receptacle, said receptacle being formed of a flexible material that can be compressed into a small volume when an item is not contained with said receptacle compared to an expanded volume when an item is received with said receptacle; and an attaching means on said receptacle suitable for placement on a hook or other support member, whereby said pouch can be collapsed for storage when not in use and can be expanded to receive an item therein for hanging or supporting the item and said pouch on a hook or the like.
 20. In combination an item that cannot be independently hung on a hook or other support member and an accessory for selectively receiving and hanging the item, said accessory comprising a pouch for receiving and hanging an item on a support member, the pouch comprising a substantially enclosed receptacle having an opening dimensioned to selectively receive an item within said receptacle and to remove the item from said receptacle, said receptacle being formed of a flexible material that can be compressed into a small volume when an item is not contained with said receptacle compared to an expanded volume when an item is received with said receptacle; and an attaching means on said receptacle suitable for placement on a hook or other support member, whereby said pouch can be collapsed for storage when not in use and can be expanded to receive an item therein for hanging or supporting the item and said pouch on a hook or the like. 